By Jonathan Doidge

Copyright independent

Saturday’s racing tips come from Ayr, Newbury and Newmarket on another busy day of action. We’ve been through all the form and studied the odds on betting sites to come up with seven runners to follow.

Let’s start with the feature handicap of the day, the Ayr Gold Cup, which boasts a 25-strong line-up once again and where it often pays to be drawn high. Favourites have a reasonable record, winning three of the last 10 renewals, during which time half of those successful went off at single figure odds.

Ticking both those boxes at the time of writing is TWO TRIBES but there are other good reasons for us to side with Richard Spencer’s charge. Barring a below par effort at Newmarket in June, he’s been in cracking form this season and we know that consistency among sprinters is not easy to come by.

He’s already proven in big handicap like this, having won Ascot’s International (7f, good) and then the Stewards’ Cup (6f, good to soft) just seven days later. He won the latter well and then backed that up with another very solid performance at York behind one of Saturday’s opponents, Northern Ticker.

Performing on genuine soft ground would still be a box he has to tick but otherwise, he has plenty going for him despite having to concede weight all round and this stiff 6f should play to his strengths. He looks well worth another each-way investment on horse racing betting sites.

Saturday racing tip 1: Two Tribes (Ayr, 15.35) – 1pt each-way @ 9/1 Ladbrokes

The opener on the Ayr card presents us with another opportunity in the form of NORTHERN EXPRESS.

He won at this meeting over 7f in 2021 and connections will doubtless have been a little frustrated that he’s been going well without winning this season, meaning a slide down the handicap has taken some time.

His 2025 form isn’t far below his best and his latest effort in a big field York handicap saw him finish a creditable fifth. He’s a further 1lb lower this time and he has a handy draw in stall two on this left-handed track. He looks capable of at least making the frame and can be backed each-way.

The unexposed Khafiz and Impartiality, who was below par last time but has claims on his prior form, look the two opponents to be most concerned about.

Saturday racing tip 2: Northern Express (Ayr, 13.15) – 0.5pts each-way @ 11/2 bet365

Already a winner in Listed company, ALMERIC is taken to oblige again at this level, despite carrying a penalty.

Building on the promise of his debut this time last year, his only other juvenile start was a win at York (1m, soft) last October. Clearly well thought of by the Andrew Balding team, he was pitched into pattern company at Newmarket’s Craven meeting in April, when he made significant improvement to win the Listed Fielden Stakes (1m1f, good to soft).

Conditions at Ayr should be to his liking and, although he has been absent since that success, we can take it on trust from a top yard that he is likely to be spot on again for this return from five months off. This extra furlong offers more potential for improvement and he is taken on betting apps to score.

Saturday racing tip 3: Almeric (Ayr, 13.50) – 2pts win @ 7/4 William Hill

The annual race for those who missed the cut in the Gold Cup, the Silver Cup remains a hugely competitive contest, with the best horse on official ratings, Sudden Flight, boasting a mark of 94.

There are plenty in with chances but the one I like best is NARIKO. Oisin Murphy is booked for the ride for the sixth time in succession, having won four and been a close second on the Night Of Thunder filly in the previous five.

As a 7f winner on soft ground, this stiff 6f with a strong pace assured looks right up her street. She’s risen from a mark of 71to 90 through that hot run of form but to me it looks like the handicapper may still not have her measure, as she hasn’t been winning her races by much more than slender margins.

Saturday racing tip 4: Nariko (Ayr, 14.25) – 0.5pts each-way @ 6/1 bet365

Turning our attention to Newbury, where there’s typically a strong card, including this 1m2f handicap, in which I like the looks of DANTE’S LAD.

George Boughey’s three-year-old has looked progressive this season other than when pulled up at Glorious Goodwood, when he lost his action. Aside from that, he’s won at York and Windsor and he went close again last time, back on the Knavesmire.

This looks his optimum trip and there is optimism that he will handle these slower conditions now that he tries them for the first time, with both his sire and dam having won with cut in the ground.

Last year’s winner Mustazeed should again go well, while Night Step is another in-form three-year-old who is much respected but Dante’s Lad can get his nose in front again.

Saturday racing tip 5: Dante’s Lad (Newbury, 14.40) – 0.5pts each-way @ 8/1 bet365

The Mill Reef, a Group 2 for juveniles over 6f has been won by some top horses, including Ribchester and Harry Angel and is not a race for shocks, with 17/2 being the biggest SP returned about any of the last ten winners.

INTO THE SKY certainly was a big price, 80/1 on horse racing betting apps in fact, when he made all to win by more than seven lengths on debut over slightly further here last month. Whichever way you look at that, it was smart form and the fact that he’s been supplemented for this suggests connections fancy their chances.

Jim Boyle looks to have one to look forward to on his hands and his Starman colt is taken to win again.

Saturday racing tip 6: Into The Sky (Newbury, 15.15) – 1pt win @ 5/2 Ladbrokes

We head to Newmarket for our final Saturday selection, which is CHARMING PRINCESS in the fillies’ handicap over 1m.

She won a 1m maiden at Pontefract on her third and penultimate start, being sent off at odds-on both then and when she went close in a Lingfield fillies’ handicap (1m1f, good to firm) last time.

That was her first start in this sphere and she perhaps didn’t see out the extra furlong quite as well as the winner, having been pressed for an effort from some way out. I’m taking the return to 1m as a positive and, with a sound surface forecast, she can earn her handicap stripes.

Saturday racing tip 7: Charming Princess (Newmarket, 13.35) – 1pt win 9/2 bet365

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